Temperature controlled windows



1967 YOSHIAKI lWATA 3,337,996

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED WINDOWS Filed May 25, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. YOSH/AKI IWATH BY I,

Aug. 29, 1967 YOSHIAKI EWATA TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED WINDOWS Filed May 25, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. YOSHHAKI JWATA g- 1967 YOSHIAKI IWATA TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED WINDOWS 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 25 I FIG. 3.

INVENTOR.

ATTO/e/VEYS.

9, 1967 YOSHIAKI IVVATA 3,337,990

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED WI NDOWS Filed May 25, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4. 46

INVENTOR. YOSH/AKI IWATA United States Patent 3,337,990 TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED WINDOWS Yoshiaki Iwata, 1278 Hatori, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan Filed May 25, 1965, Ser. No. 458,682 Claims priority, application Japan, May 26, 1964, 39/29,387, 39/29,388; June 16, 1964, 39/ 33,889 3 Claims. (Cl. 49-3) This invention relates in general to improvements in and relating to a structural device for high-storied buildings for eliminating the wild spread of fire therein and facilitating the evacuation from the ravages of fire and has particular reference to a double-sash device for directing the stream of flames and smoke from the interior of a building into the outside atmosphere.

The double-sash device just mentioned has been substantially disclosed in my Patent No. 3,255,688 of June 14, 1966, which is primarily intended for effecting an automatic ventilation for air-conditioning in modern building.

Now, in the vent of a fire set to any modern, reinforced concrete, high-storied building, it would be often the case that the fire destroys interior decorations, furnitures, business documents, merchandize in storage as well as other valuable items while the framework and refractory parts of the building remains unburnt. Development of immense flames and smoke within the interior of the building would keep the firemen away and make it difiicult to carry out the extinguishing of the fire particularly where chemical compounds such as carbon dioxide are used due to the tendency of such smoky atmosphere to spread and stay within the limited space of the building. It is therefore a common practice nowadays to combat the fire with water supplied from outside the building by the firemen climbing the ladder or rail attached to a fire engine. The use of water would result in damage to the valuable articles laid in the interior of the building. This may be eliminated by the proper application of chemical compounds which are much less harmful to room furnitures and merchandise but which cannot be effectively used because of the structural design setup of conventional office building or apartment houses.

Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide improved, useful method and means of preventing the spread of flames and smoke resulting from a fire within the interior of a building which will permit the use of chemical extinguishing agents and which will eliminate the above noted drawback inherent in the conventional building construction.

It is another object of the invention to provide new, useful methods of combating the fire developing inside any high-storied building or skyscraper by maintaining the pressure of air in the corridors or stairways higher than the internal room air pressure, so that the majority of the resulting flames and smoke are directed toward and into the outside atmosphere.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved window-sash device which may be opened automatically in the event of a fire thereby to permit the flames and smoke to flow therethrough into the outside atmosphere.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sketch of an interior layout of a building utilized to explain the operating principles of a fire-spread preventing system embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a doublesas-h window structure embodying the invention which may be installed in the external walls of a building according to the invention;

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FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view of the double-sash window of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation in part of the same;

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the same;

FIG. 6 is a front view of a stopper device adapted to hold the window sash in position;

FIG. 7 is a similar View of the stopper device shown as in operational position and FIG. 8 is a plan view of the same.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawmgs.

Designated generally at the reference numeral 1 is a building layout as a whole; at 2 is each individual room; at 3 is a corridor area; at 4 is a stairway; at 5 is the door to each room 2; at 6 is a window in the room 2; at 7 is an air inlet adapted to introduce conditioned air into the room 2; at 8 is an air supply duct and at 9 is an air circulation duct.

Reference is now had particularly to the double-sash window arrangement which forms the essential part of the invention and which is illustrated in FIG. 2 as comprising essentially an outer sash member 10 pivotally supported and adapted to open outwardly toward the outside of the building and an inner sash member 11 similarly supported and adapted to open inwardly toward the interior of the room. If desired, both outer and inner window sash members 10 and 11 may be similarly arranged to open horizontally apart from their respective window frames. The outer and inner sash members 10 and 11 are provided at the upper end and at the lower end, respectively, thereof with air ventilation openings 12 for allowing the passage of room air therethrough into the outside atmosphere.

Designated at 13 is an electrical dust collector; at 14 is a cooling coil; at 15 is a moisture remover; at 16 is a heater; at 17 is a fan; at 18 is an electric motor and at 19 is a fresh air intake. The current of airconditioned air, cold or hot depending upon the season, is supplied through the above system and introduced by the fan 17 directly into the stairway chamber 4. Since the fan 17 is located above the stairway chamber 4 or preferably on the roof top of the building, the air current is directed downward passing through the open space of the interior and through the openings provided in the doors 5 into each individual room. The air current thus covers the entire interior system of the building and flows through the openings 12 in the double-sash windows into the outside atmosphere.

Reference to FIG. 3 shows the details of the doublesash arrangement embodying the invention, in which the outer and inner sash members 10 and 11 are piv-otally fitted to the framework 21 in the walls 20 of the building 1. Frame members 22 and 23 are adapted to support the sash members 10 and 11 as shown. The outer sash structure 10 may comprise, for example, two separate glass panes 24 and 25 adapted to be vertically slidable. The upper glass pane 24 is provided at the upper part thereof with openings 12 for venting the air therethrough and may be further provided in the rear thereof with an air filter 26. Similarly, the inner sash member 11 may be provided at the lower part thereof with similar openings 12 and with an air filter2-7 behind. The outer sash member 10 is adapted to swing outwardly about an axis 28 as indicated by the chain lines in FIGS. 1 and 3, while the upper part thereof is simply mounted in the frame member 21.

The outer sash member 10 is further provided with a locking mechanism at the upper part of the frame member 22. This mechanism, as illustrated in FIGS. 6-8, essentially comprises an inwardly projecting L-shape metal fitting 29 which is pivot-ally connected through pin 30 and nut 31 to the frame member 22. The metal fitting 29 assumes normal position as shown in FIG. 6 and has its long arm 32 adapted to serve as a Weight and its short arm 33 connected to the locking mechanism more fully described hereinafter.

The rotating pin 34 extending into the frame member 21 has fixedly mounted thereon with a fan-shaped member 35 and a coupling member 36. The pin 34 also has attached to the tip end thereof an arm 37 extending into the room, said arm being adapted to move the rotating pin 34.

As shown in FIG. 4, the arm 37 has connected thereto a string 38 which passes around a pulley 39 and is secured to a disk 41 mounted on a guide bar 40. The string 38 is provided at an end thereof with a tread 42. The guide bar 40 has loosely mounted thereon a weight 43 which is suspended by a cable 44 and positioned parallel to the wall face. At a suitable point of the cable intermediate between a pulley 45 and a ring member 47, there is provided a meltable element such as any fusible metal 46. The ring member 47 is attached to the end of the cable 44 and is held in place by a projection 49 connected to an electromagnetic coil 48.

In the event of a fire, the meltable element 46 melts in contact with flames or hot atmosphere and cuts the cable 44, with the result that the weight 43 falls along the guide bar 40. Alternatively, the electromagnetic coil 48 may be energized so that the projection 49 is pulled to permit the cable to be drawn by the gravity of the weight.

At the lower part of the guide bar 40, there is provided a spring 51) for preventing the sudden, impulsive drop of the disk 41 due to the action of the weight 43.

The inner sash member 11 has attached thereto a hinge 52 housing a spring 51 which gives a tendency of the sash 11 to normally open toward the room. The inner sash 11 is further provided with a handle 53 including a spring (not illustrated) which is adapted to hold a projection 54 facing a metal fitting 56 connected with a coil spring 55. The projection 54 is normally held free from the pressure of the metal fitting 56 due to the action of the coil spring 55. However, since the metal fitting 56 has its operating tip 57 positioned immediately under the disk 41, the metal fitting 56 is caused to rotate about an axis 58 by the action of the disk 41 so that the projection 54 is pressed inwardly thereby releasing the inner sash member 11 from its respective frame member 21. The inner sash member 11 is caused to open further toward the room by the action of the spring 51.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outer sash member is provided with a collapsible arm '59 whereby the outer window is opened outwardly in the event of a fire.

Now, in the event a fire occurs in the interior of a building equipped with the above double-sash window device, the meltable element 46 melts in contact with flames or hot smoke crawling along the ceiling. In such instance, the meltable element 46 may be preset to melt, for example at 67 C. The element 46 melts and cuts the cable 44, whereupon the weight 43 drops. Alternatively, the weight 43 may be arranged to drop by remote-controlling the energization of the electromagnetic coil 48. The weight 43 slides down the guide bar 40, hits the disk member 41, pulling the string 33 and further impinges upon the metal fitting 57 to pull the same. The arm 37 is thus moved, causingthe pin 34 to rotate as far as from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. 7. Consequently, the coupling member 36 is caused to disengage from the part 33 which is an extension of the metal fitting 29. In such instance, the fan-shaped member 35 is so constructed (see FIG. 8) that its rotation forces the metal fitting 29 to move outwardly until the outer sash member 10 is forced open. As the metal fitting 29 is loosely mounted on the pin 30, it hangs down due to the weight of the long arm 32 immediately it is released, as illustrated in FIG. 7. The long arm 32 when thus held in suspended position indicates that the sash members have been disengaged from their respective frame members.

With this construction, the metal fitting 29 is released from its engagement with the outer sash member 10 by the rotation of the arm members fitted thereto and pushed outwardly to fli-p open the outer sash 10 toward the outside atmosphere under its own gravity. In which instance, the inner sash member 11 is unlocked by the weight 43 and forced open toward the room by the action of the spring 51 at the hinge 52. This operation may be tested manually by stepping on the tread 42 attached to the end of the string 38 as shown, thereby ensuring the proper operation of this window opening mechanism in the event of fire hazards.

Thus, it will be understood that the outer sash member 10 and the inner sash member 11 are arranged to quickly flip open one toward the outside atmosphere and the other toward the interior of the building as soon as the meltable element 46 melts and cuts the associated cable 44. In such instance, the fan 17 may be operated at increased speed thereby to promote the tendency of the internal air current in the stairways 4 and the corridors 3 to escape together with the room air at higher velocity into the outside atmosphere, which would otherwise spread throughout the interior of the building and render the extinguishing work diflicult. It will be obvious from the fire-spread prevention device above described and il lustrated according to the invention that the fire-fighting activity may be conducted with ease and safety with the influence of flames and smoke held to a minimum particularly where toxic chemical extinguishing compounds are used.

The double-sash device constructed as collapsible and herein described has the advantage that it can be normally used for ventilating the conditioned room air without resort to a conventional ventilation duct, the details of this double-sash function being set forth in my said earlier patent application.

Another advantage of the double-sash device embodying the invention is that it keeps away the flames and smoke of fire set to adjacent buildings by the action room air currents forced out through the openings of the outer window sash members.

Since certain changes and modifications may be made in the above described construction and different embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all the matter contained in the above description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings shall be considered illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A window with temperature controlled opening means comprising a window frame, an outer window sash pivotally mounted at its bottom to said window frame, an inner window sash pivotally mounted at one side to said window frame, resilient means tending to pivot said inner window sash from said window frame, locking means normally retaining said outer window sash in said window frame, a second locking means normally retaining said inner window sash in said window sash in said window frame, a vertically slideable member capable of moving said second locking means to its unlocked position, a vertically slideable weight capable of striking said slideable member, means including temperature controlled means for controlling the movement of said weight and means operatively connecting said slideable member and said first locking means whereby said slideable member when struck by said weight unlocks said first locking means.

2. A window with temperature controlled opening means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first mentioned locking means comprises an L-shaped member pivotally mounted on said outer window sash, a lever pivotally mounted on said window frame, a coupling member carried by said lever and positioned for extending alongside a leg of said L-shaped member in the window locking position, a fan-shaped member carried by said lever laterally of said coupling member and positioned for bear- 6 ing against said L-sha-ped member in the unlocking posi- References Cited tion for pushing said outer Window sash from said window UNITED STATES PATENTS frame, and said operatively connecting means being connected to said lever for pivoting the same to the unlock- 1 g g g mg 5 2,096,048 10/1937 Lindish 49-164 3. A window with temperature controlled opening means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second locking D AVE) 1 WHLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. means includes a spring tensioned lever pivotally mounted on said window frame for being pivoted by said slideable HARRISON MOSELEY Exammer' memberunlocking said second locking means. 10 1K. BELL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WINDOW WITH TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED OPENING MEANS COMPRISING A WINDOW FRAME, AN OUTER WINDOW SASH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ITS BOTTOM TO SAID WINDOW FRAME, AN INNER WINDOW SASH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ONE SIDE TO SAID WINDOW FRAME, RESILIENT MEANS TENDING TO PIVOT SAID INNER WINDOW SASH FROM SAID WINDOW FRAME, LOCKING MEANS NORMALLY RETAINING SAID OUTER WINDOW SASH IN SAID WINDOW FRAME, A SECOND LOCKING MEANS NORMALLY RETAINING SAID INNER WINDOW SASH IN SAID WINDOW SASH IN SAID WINDOW FRAME, A VERTICALLY SLIDEABLE MEMBER CAPABLE OF MOVING SAID SECOND LOCKING MEANS TO ITS UNLOCKED POSITION, A VERTICALLY SLIDEABLE WEIGHT CAPABLE OF STRIKING SAID SLIDEABLE MEMBER, MEANS INCLUDING TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID WEIGHT AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID SLIDEABLE MEMBER AND SAID FIRST LOCKING MEANS WHEREBY SAID SLIDEABLE MEMBER WHEN STRUCK BY SAID WEIGHT UNLOCKS SAID FIRST LOCKING MEANS. 